1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light supply unit, an illumination unit, and an illumination system comprising semiconductor light emitting devices such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes (LDs).
2. Related Background Art
Various types of white LEDs and LDs have been developed in recent years. The white LEDs (LDs) emit white light by mixing blue light or ultraviolet light with fluorescent light excited by the blue light or the ultraviolet light. GaN-based or ZnSe-based blue LEDs (LDs) can emit the blue light, and GaN-based ultraviolet LEDs (LDs) can emit the ultraviolet light.
There are proposed illumination systems comprising such white LEDs. For example, a conventional illumination system 100, shown in FIG. 1, comprises a plurality of LEDs 101 arranged on a substrate 102. The LEDs 101 are supplied with a supply voltage to emit light. The supply voltage is supplied through a wire 103.
An example of conventional illumination system having a plurality of LEDs is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-21206. In the illumination system, light from the LEDs is guided into a plurality of optical fibers forming an optical fiber bundle.